1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a double deck elevator comprising an upper cage and a lower cage vertically movable together in a hoistway, and more particularly to a double deck elevator wherein a space existing between the upper cage and the lower cage is covered with covers for reducing air turbulence noise to improve quietness and comfortableness in the cages.
2. Description of the Related Art
In conventional double deck elevators shown in FIGS. 23, 24 and 25, a hoistway 1 is provided with a pair of guide rails 2 vertically extending along the inner walls of the hoistway 1 respectively, and a cage assembly 3 hoisted by a main rope 4 is arranged between the guide rails 2 to move vertically guided by the guide rails 2.
The cage assembly 3 comprises a cage frame 5, an upper cage 6 and a lower cage 7 mounted on the cage frame 5 respectively. A plurality of guide means 8, which have guide rollers 8a rolling on the respective guide rails 2, are provided at a top-side, a bottom-side, left and right sides of the cage frame 5.
On a middle beam 9 and a bottom beam 10 of the cage frame 5, cage receiving frames 11 and 12 are mounted respectively. Between the cage receiving frame 11 and the bottom of the upper cage 6, and between the cage receiving frame 12 and the bottom of the lower cage 7, load cells 13 are inserted with vibroisolating rubbers 14 respectively. The weights of the upper cage and lower cages 6, 7 respectively detected by the load cells 13 are used for various purposes.
Displacement sensors 15 are provided between the bottom surface of the upper cage 6 and the middle beam 9, and between the bottom surface of the lower cage 7 and the bottom beam 10 respectively, so that the displacement of the upper and lower cages 6, 7 can be detected respectively.
As mentioned above, the cage assembly 3 is hoisted by the main rope 4. In a case of 1:1 roping system, the main rope 4 is directly connected to the upper beam 16 of the cage frame 5 (FIG. 24). And in a case of 2:1 roping system, the main rope 4 is wound around sheaves 17 provided on the upper beam 16 of the cage frame 5 (FIG. 25).
When the upper and lower cages 6, 7 arrive the floors called by passengers respectively, the cage doors 18 of the cages 6, 7 face the hall doors 19 of the floors and are opened and closed by a door-driving unit 20. Hall sills 21 are provided on the floors, and cage sills 22 are provided on the floors of the upper and lower cages 6, 7 respectively, such that doors can open and close smoothly.
In the conventional double deck elevators described above, a space “S” exists between the upper cage 6 and the lower cage 7 and the door-driving unit is installed in the space “S”. When the upper and lower cages move vertically in the hoistway 1, airflow flowing around the cages enters the space “S” and comes into collision with the door-driving unit 20 and generates air turbulence. The air turbulence results in big noise that disturbs quietness and comfortableness in the upper and lower cages 6, 7.